Trusts & Asset Protection

A trust is a legal arrangement where assets — such as property, savings or investments — are held by appointed trustees on behalf of chosen beneficiaries. Rather than passing assets outright, a trust allows you to set conditions on when and how those assets are distributed.

There are two broad categories: will-based trusts, which take effect on your death, and lifetime trusts, which are set up while you’re alive. Each serves a different purpose, and the right choice depends on your circumstances and objectives.

Trusts can provide valuable protection against a range of risks, including care home fee assessments, divorce settlements affecting your beneficiaries, bankruptcy, and sideways disinheritance. They give you ongoing control over your wealth — even after it’s been passed on — ensuring your assets are used in the way you intend.

We start by assessing whether a trust is genuinely appropriate for your situation. Not every client needs one, and we’ll always give you honest guidance rather than recommending solutions you don’t need.

Where a trust is the right approach, we explain your options in clear, jargon-free language — covering the different types of trust available, their implications, and how they fit within your broader estate plan. We then draft the trust provisions carefully to ensure they achieve your objectives.

Our support doesn’t end at the point of drafting. We provide ongoing guidance to trustees and beneficiaries, helping to ensure the trust operates as intended over time.